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W. C. NEAHR. ELECTRICAL SIGNAL FLASHER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I8, 1918.

Patented July 22, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. C. NEAHR. ELECTRICAL SIGNAL FLASHER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9. 1918.

Patented July 22, 19 19.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

(in ueutoz Quota:

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

WILL C. NEAHR, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE PROTECTIVE SIGNAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLO- RADO.

ELECTRICAL-SIGNAL FLASHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .WILL C. NEAHR, a citizen of the United States, residin at Denver, in the county of Denver and tate of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical-Signal Flashers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates more particularly to mechanism for effecting the periodic flashing of an electric signal, such as a lamp, the purpose in view being more especially the ignition and extinguishment of the lamp at predetermined intervals for the purpose of makin its action more noticeable. It is especial y applicable, though not limited, to railway signal work, in which it is the common custom to employ a continuously operating. lamp giving a fixed beam of light, and therefore apt to be ignored because of the correspondence in its v action to all ordinary forms of lighting equipment.

One of the primary objects is to provide electrical control mechanism that is very reliable and constant in operation, is not open to derangement, is long lived, is protected against external influences and being tampered with, at the same time it can be inspected with the greatest ease, and if occas1on requires, the mechanism is readily available for adjustment and repair.

An embodiment of the invention that has been found very satisfactory, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section of the mechanism. F Fig. 2 is a similar view at right angles to Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the immediate elements of the make and break device in separated condition.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through the rewinding mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of certain elements of said rewinding mechanism in separated relation.

Fig. 6 is a dia ammatic view to illustrate the electrica connections and circuits employed.

, Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view through the cover.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed, a casing is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 18, 1918.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Serial No. 240,609.

employed, comprising a metallic base 6 having feet 7 and an annular groove 8 in its upper side, in which is located a packing ring 9. A cylindrical side wall 10, preferably of glass, has its lower end in the groove 8 upon the packing. A cover 11, having its under face formed in corresponding condition to the upper face of the base 6, removably fits upon the top of the cylindrical side wall 10, and the parts are clamped together by tie bolts 12 connecting the cover 11 and base 6, thus securing a dust-tight inclosure, the interior of which can be readily viewed through the transparent wall 10.

Depending from and carried by the cover, is a bracket comprising a vertical plate 13 having an offset upper end 14 which rests against theunder side of the cover and is secured thereto by binding posts 15 and 16 that pass therethrough and through the cover, one of these binding posts 15 being insulated, as shown at 17, from the plate, the other being grounded thereon. A third binding post 18 is mounted on the cover. Said cover is of insulating material, and therefore it will be observed that the three binding posts are insulated from one another.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the bracket plate 13 is ofiset from the center of the casing, and on what may be termed the front face is located an ordinary train of gearing. Thus a main driving shaft 20 is employed, on which is fixed a gear wheel 21 meshing with a pinion 22 on a countershaft 23. This'shaft 23 carries a gear wheel 24, operating through a suitable train of gearing, a well known type of escapement 25, that restricts the speed of the gearing. It is believed to be unnecessary to go into detail regarding the escapement mechanism, as any well known type may be employed, and its character of operation is well known. On the shaft 23 is fixed a cam wheel 26 which, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 is provided with a peripheral series of teeth 27, against which rides a dog 28 carried by a lever 29 that is fulcrumed between its ends on a shaft 30. The free end of the lever 29 is provided with a contact element 31 that is movable into and out of engagement with a screw contact element 32 carried by a bracket 33 fixed to but insulated from the bracket plate 13. A spring 34, having one end 35 suitably engaged with the frame, has its other end 36 bearing against the under side of the rear end of the lever 29, thus serving to urge the contact element 31 into engagement with the contact element 32, the separation of these elements being secured by the successive operation of the teeth 27 of the cam wheel 26 against the dog 28. Inasmuch as the lever 29 is in electrical contact with the binding post 16 since both are grounded on the bracket plate 13, and as the contact element 32 is electricall connect-ed to the binding post 18, it will e evident by reference to Fi 6 that If an electric circuit is employe which includes a suitable signal lamp 37, a source of electrlcal energy 38, and the two binding posts 16 and 18, said circuit will be periodically made and broken by the make andbreak device 31-32, and the signal lamp caused to emit corresponding flashes.

For the purpose of driving the train of gearing Above described, the following mechanism is preferably. employed. The

main driving shaft 20, preferably projects.

beyond the frame 19, and loosely mounted thereon on the outside of the frame, is a ratchet wheel 39, which wheel is fixed to a hub 40 that passes through the outer member of the frame and carries a forked arm 41 that is engaged with the gear wheel 21. all of which is shown in Fig. 4. A cross bar 42 is fixed upon the outer face of the frame 19, and frictionally held against the same is a disk 43 to which is secured one end 44 of a coiled driving spring 45. The inner end of this spring is connected to the hub 46 of a rewinding device in the form of a plate 47 journaled on the free end of the shaft 20, and having oppositely extending arms 48 provided with weights 49 to give it aconsiderable amount of inertia. The rewinding device has a third arm 50 carrying a spring dog 51 that engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 39 fixed, as already explained, to the gear wheel 21. A pawl 52, also operating against the wheel 39, serves to hold said wheel against retrograde movement.

With this construction, it will be evident that the rewinding device is capable of rotary movement in either direction. When moved contrari-clockwise, it is against the action of the driving spring 45 and consequently said spring is wound. The action of the spring serves to turn it clockwise, or in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, in which case the pawl 51 carried thereby will turn the ratchet wheel 39 and operate the train of gearing. Consequently the cam wheel 27 will be rotated, and the make and break device 31-32 periodically actuated. To secure the continuous operation of the mechanism, the following means is preferably employed. A set of electro-magnets 53 is fixed to the front side of the bracket plate 13 below the spring motor above described, and the armature for these electro-magnets is in the form of a plate 54 pivoted at its lower end as shown at 55 and including an upstanding arm 56 that extends alongside the rewinding device 47. An abutment 57 is formed upon the-rewinding device 47, and is located in the path of movement of a strip 58 that is bent around the upper end of the arm 56 and extends longitudinally along the same, as shown at 59, this strip, however, being insulated from the armature 56, as shown at 60. The end 58 of the strip 59 constitutes a. part of an electrical contact element, the other part comprising an upstanding jaw 61, and said contact element cotiperates with a spring-contact element 62 fixed to the abutment 57.. The contact element 62 is in electrical connection with the binding post 16, inasmuch as it is grounded on the bracket plate, as is also said binding post. The other contact elements 5861 are electrically connected as shown at 63 with the electro-ma'gnet 53, and said electro-magnet has an electrical connection 64 with the binding post 15. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 6, if said binding post 15 is included in a circuit with the source of electrical energy 38, that also includes the binding post 16, when the contact elements 58 and 62 are in engagement, a circuit will be closed through the electro-magnets and said magnets will operate on the armatures to draw the same toward it. This will cause the element 58 to strike the abutment 57 and swing the rewinding device 47 contrari-clockwise, causing the rewinding of the spring 45. This movement of the rewinding device 57 will be continued after the armature 56 strikes against the electro-magnets by reason of the weights 49, so that the contact ele ments 58 and 62 will be disengaged, thereby,

breaking the circuit, deenergizing the magnet and permitting the armature to swing rearw'ardly to the position shown in Fig. '1. This swinging movement is accomplished by a spring 65 shown in Fig. 2, which bears against the armature, and there is also placed in the circuit which includes the electro-magnet and the contact elements 58 and 62 suitable resistance shown at 66.

Briefly described the operation of the mechanism is as follows. 'Assuming .the binding posts electrically connected to a source of electrical energy 38, as shown in Fig. 6, with the contact elements .62 and 58 out of engagement, the spring 45 will operate on the rewinding. device 47 to move it in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1. This movement, as already explained, drives the train of gearing and effects the periodic opening and closing of the circuit controller Just as soon as the contact element 62, moving with the rewinding device, engages the contact element 58, the circuit through the electro-magnet 53 is closed; said magnet is energized, and as the armature 54 is consequently quickly drawn toward it, the upper end of the arm 56 will strike the abutment 57, kicking back the rewinding device 47, the momentum of said device due to the weights 49 carrying the contact element 62 away from the contact element 58. As aconsequence, the electro-magnet circuit is broken, and the armature will return to its original position. The spring is now rewound, and reacting, will again move the rewinding device in the direction of the arrow, repeating the operation.

The mechanism, it will be noted, will therefore operate as long as there is current being supplied to the lamp, and actual experience has demonstrated that the mecha'nism will outlast well known types of batteries and lamps. This will be evident when it is considered that the mechanism is relatively simple, can be ,placed in any convenient position, is not subject to outside influences, inasmuch as it is completely housed, and yet is freely open to inspection, and is readily available if adjustments or repairs are necessar This will be clear when it is considere that the entire mechanism is mounted upon one side of the bracket and can be removed and replaced in completely assembled condition by removing and replacing the cover.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construe tion, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is up 1. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a spring motor, of a rotatable cam driven thereby, an electrical make and break device intermittently operated by the cam, a rewinding device operating on the spring ofthe motor, an electromagnet for operating on the rewinding device, an electrical circuit including the electro-magnet, and a controller for the circuit operated by the rewinding device to intermittently cause the energization of the electro-magnet through said circuit.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a spring motor, of a rotatable cam driven thereby, an electrical make and break device intermittently operated by the cam, a rewinding device operating on the spring of the motor, an electromagnet, an armature for the magnet operating on the rewinding device, an electrlc circuit including the electro-magnet, and a circuit controller for said circuit, including contact elements carried respectively by the rewinding device and armature and movable into engagement by the rewinding device on its movement by the spring and out of engagement by the movement of the armature by the electro-magnet.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a train of gearing, of a cam Wheel operated thereby, an electrical make and break device operated by the cam wheel, a spring having a fixed bearing, a rotatable rewinding device connected to the spring and having a clutch connection with the train of gearing to operate the same, a contact element movable with the rewindiu device, an electro-magnet, a movable armature for the magnet, a contact element carried by the armature and engaged by the element of the rewinding device, and an electric circuit including the electro-magnet and the contact elements.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a train of gearing, of a cam wheel operated thereby, an electrical make and break device operated by the cam wheel, a spring having a fixed bearing, a rotatable rewinding device connected to the spring, a pawl carried by the rewinding device, a ratchet wheel connected to the train of gearing and engaged by the pawl, an iele'ctro-magnet, a swinging armature for the electro-magn'et adapted to engage the rewinding device and move the same against the action of the spring, electrical contact elements carried respectively by the rewinding device and armature and relatively movable into engagement by the operation of the rewinding device under the action of the spring, andan electric circuit including the electro-magnet and the contact elements.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a train of gearing, of a cam operated thereby, a make and break device operated by the cam wheel, a ratchet wheel connected to the train of gearing arIO- tatable rewinding device disposed axially of the weighted ratchet wheel, a pawl carried by the rewinding device and engaging the ratchet wheel,-a coiled spring connected to the rewinding device, an electro-magnet, a pivotally mounted armature for the electro-magnet, an abutment on the rewinding device engaged by the electro-magnet, electrical contact elements carried respectively by the electro-magnet and rewinding device and movable into and out of engagement, and an electric circuit including the electromagnet and contact elements.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a spring motor, of a make and break device periodically operated by the motor, a rewinding device for the motor, an electrical means for operating the rewinding device, an electrical control device for said'means carried by the said rewinding device and the electrical operating means, a common source of electrical energy connected to the make and break device and to the electrical operating means, and resistance in the connection between the source of electrical energy and the said operating means.

7. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a casing including a detachable member, of a support on said detachable member extending within the casing, a spring motor mounted on the support, a make and break device mounted on the support and periodically operated by the motor, and rewinding mechanism for the motor mounted on the support, said motor, make and break device and rewinding mechanism being removable from and replaceable within the casing in assembled condition on the support.

8. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a casing including a detachable member, of a support on said detachable member extending within the casing, a spring motor mounted on the support, a make and break device mounted on the support and periodically operated by the motor, electrically operated rewinding mechanism for the motor mounted on the support, said motor, make and break device and rewinding mechanism being removable from and replaceable within the casing in assembled condition on the support, and electrical binding posts on the exterior of the detachable member, having electrical connections with the make and break device and the rewinding mechanism.

9. In apparatus of the character set the combination with a tubular casing, of

forth,

a removable cover therefor, a bracket carried by the cover and removablv depending within the casing, a spring motor mounted on the bracket, a make and break device mounted on the bracket and periodically operated by the motor, rewinding mechanism supported on the bracket, said make and break device and rewinding mechanism being removable from and replace-able within the casing in assembled condition on the bracket when the cover is removed and replaced, and electri cal binding posts on the cover having electrical connections with the make and break device and the rewinding mechanism.

10. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a casing comprising a base, a transparent tubular side wall, a removable cover and tie bolts connecting the base and cover, of a bracket carried by the cover and depending within the casing, a spring motor mounted on one side of the bracket, a make and break device mounted on one side of the bracket and periodically operated by the spring motor, electrical re- I winding mechanism for the spring motor mounted on the bracket and including a circuit controller operated by the spring motor, binding posts on the cover, and electrical connections between the binding posts and the make and break device and between said binding posts and the electrical rewinding mechanism including the controller.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILL G. NEAHR.

Witnesses:

ARCHIE M. ADAMS, ETHEL GARNER. 

